Liam woke Calista very early the next morning. "Hi, my big man, looks like you're feeling a little better. You hungry? Wow, you're soaked. Let's get you cleaned up." She placed kisses all over his face and chest and he responded with very wet kisses of his own. Liam patted his mommy's face, giggling and stuttering, "mamamamama.." He pointed at their dog, Webster, and uttered, "dah." Calista laughed and said, "You're not only handsome, but oh, so intelligent."

Because her son still had the sniffles, she thought it best not to take him to the set again today. She busied herself changing and dressing Liam and then carried him with her to the kitchen to make some coffee. He kept squirming, wanting to get down and walk, and she put him down on the floor. At almost 11 months, he did pretty well so long as he had one finger touching something - it gave him a sense of security. Calista smiled thinking about how Robert always had to be touching her, even if it was just his little finger brushing up against her hand, maybe his security blanket she thought. "Liam, if you weren't adopted and I didn't know better, I'd swear you were Robert's son. You're both such romantic free spirits."

"Want to sneak up on Bobby?" she asked Liam, bending down and kissing him on top of his head. She held out her little finger and said, "Okay, hold on, let's walk out together, shall we?"

They tiptoed into the living room. Calista shook her head but couldn't help but laugh when she saw Robert. He was all tangled up in the blankets. One of his legs was hanging over the back of the couch and the other lay twisted on top of the blankets. His left arm was thrown back over his head and the other was dangling off the side of the couch, his hand touching the floor. She wondered how he could look so angelic and have so much of the devil in him. ‘Robert, I love you,' she thought to herself, ‘please don't blow it this time.'

"C'mon," she whispered to Liam, "let's say good morning." She lifted him and carefully positioned him on Robert's stomach. Liam immediately began to giggle and pinch Robert's mouth, "Bah Bah ... dadada," he blubbered, blowing bubbles and drooling all over the sheet.

Without opening his eyes, Robert grinned, "Is this that little troll I'm so crazy about?" He then squinted against the sunlight streaming in through the window, put his arms around Liam and kissed him, "Hey, slugger, take it easy. The camera's gonna pick up every one of those bruises you're inflicting." Liam gave him a belly laugh and started slapping his face with both hands in unison.

Robert jostled him down on the couch in a fake wrestling hold and said, "Ah ha! Pinned ya! I'm still the champion of the world!" Liam was giggling uncontrollably now. Robert raised his arm in mock victory and, making a fake crowd roar, smiled at Calista. "Hi, mom, you look beautiful this morning."

"You, too," she laughed because his hair was sticking out everywhere. "It's pretty early," she said, "coffee?"

"Always." He picked Liam up under one arm and started running with him down the hallway making airplane sounds. Liam had his arms outstretched and was shrieking with glee. Robert veered and came running back toward Calista. Still holding Liam under his arm, he frowned down at him and then up at Calista, "Can I interest you in a slightly used kid?"

"Hmm," she said, "I don't know. Make me an offer I can't refuse."

"Okay," he said, rolling his eyes as he performed calculations in his head, "I'd let him go for .. say .. half a mil ... but, hey, I'll throw in college!"

"Such a deal. I'd be a fool to turn that down!" she laughed.

Robert gave Liam another kiss on the cheek and handed him to Calista. He couldn't resist giving her a kiss on the cheek, too. "Sorry, no offense?"

"None taken. I'm gonna wait till I get to the set to shower. But, why don't you hop in and then get dressed and come out to the kitchen. Nanny's not due for almost an hour. Liam woke me at the crack of dawn."

"Great. Uh .. I still have some clothes here, don't I, or did you burn them?"

She gave him a look of exasperation. "They're in the closet."

He grinned and headed for the shower.

Calista almost choked on her coffee when Robert walked into the kitchen. He was wearing a dress shirt and nothing else. She smiled mischievously and asked, "Is this life imitating art, or are you just trying to entice me again?"

He looked at her curiously and then glanced down to where her eyes were focused. "Oops. Ah ha! You must've been watching my old movies while I was away. That... could be a good thing ... huh? Well, is it working? If so, I can pretend I'm having trouble deciding what pants to wear."

"Rob-ert!!

"Okay, okay," he said, throwing up his hands in surrender, "getting dressed!"

He was back in five minutes and gazed at Calista over coffee. "Did you think any more about my April proposal?"

"I'm still considering it," she replied. "Do I have the okay to have the London producers contact your agent?"

"Absolutely. And the movie?"

"Ditto. Hey, it's not gonna conflict with anything is it? Because the play's scheduled to run from early June through mid-August."

"Nope," he answered, "I don't think filming starts until late September or early October, and with Ally wrapping up this season, we don't have that to worry about. But, what're we gonna do with Liam?"

"Well, he and Nanny are absolutely coming with us to London, so that's not even open for discussion. Can't they come on location, too?"

"Guess so. Hope so. I love him, too, you know."

"I know," she smiled. With all his other faults, being a great dad wasn't one of them. Robert worshiped his son, and although he'd been gone for over six months, he and Liam still had an exceptionally close bond. Liam adored Robert and lately Calista had begun to suspect that he might think Robert was his father. "You know," she said, changing the subject, "they're gonna be announcing the Golden Globe nominees in another week. Thank God, I won't be included this year ... I hate having those butterflies for months."

"That's bull, my dear. You love it and you know it. You should and will be included this year - if not, I'll know the damned thing's rigged. And, you sure as shit should have won an Emmy last year." He frowned and looked around, "Come to think of it, where's my GG and Actor?"

"There in the den, Robert - you put them there, remember?"

"Just checking," he gave her a boyish grin, "wanted to make sure you hadn't thrown ‘em away." He studied her carefully and, taking a deep breath, said, "Let me run something by you. I mean, you can say no if you want, but think about it first, okay, I mean, really think about it?"

"Okay."

"Some friends have this incredible beach house in Barbados, very secluded, and they've offered it to me for the Christmas holidays. ...Warren told me it's doable .. if I have the right escort of course, which he considers you to be. So .. I was wondering .. if you might like to get away during the yuletide hiatus - you know - get out of this rabid town for awhile. I don't seem to do well without family or ‘good friends' during the holidays." Pointing his finger at her, he warned, "Don't say it!" He became serious again, "I mean ... obviously ... I understand it would depend on how much you think we've progressed ... personally. But, I'd be good ... mm .. if you absolutely insist. Think you'd be open for something like that?"

She thought about it. "Possibly. But .. what about Indio?"

"Well, we wouldn't have to leave until Christmas afternoon. And we could coordinate our travel plans so that I can spend Christmas morning with Indio whether he's here or in New York. That way we could still be in Barbados late Christmas evening. Assuming, of course, that Deborah will even let me see him."

"And, if she doesn't," she asked, her heart aching for him, "will you ..."

"Be all right?" he finished her sentence. "Yeah. I have to be, don't I? But, it'll be a hellava lot easier if you're with me."

Just then the Nanny arrived and came bustling in with a cheery good morning.

They each hugged Liam, blew him kisses and exchanged about 15 ‘bye bye' waves with him. Calista gave Maria last minute instructions before she and Robert left the house. As they walked outside, she asked, "Where's your car?"

"About five blocks over. You said to be discreet and five blocks in the dark is about as discreet as I can be." He gave her an ‘I can't believe you made me do that' look out of the corner of his eye, "I'm surprised I didn't get arrested walking over here," he said sarcastically.

"Oh c'mon, you big crybaby, I'll give you a ride to your car."

Robert got out of her car and, as he walked to his, Calista rolled down her window and said, "Bobby, I'll think about Barbados, okay?"

He gave her a sweet grin. He loved it when she called him that because ‘Bobby' was her name for him in very private moments, "Thanks," he replied gratefully.

"Oh, by the way," she said, "I meant to ask you before, but wasn't sure if you'd be spending Thanksgiving with Indio. If not, I'm flying to my folks' this evening ... you wanna go with me?"

"I bet they'd relish that after everything that's happened. But, on second thought, it'd save them having to buy a turkey - they could cook me for dinner."

She laughed. "Robert, they know you. All your problems doesn't take away from the fact that good ... and loving. Oh, and let's not forget charming. The last time they saw you, you charmed the pants off both of ‘em. Just for the record, my mom asked me to invite you. I think she's secretly in love with you."

He smiled, "How about her daughter?"

She purposely ignored him, "What do I tell her?"

"Hold on." He fished out his cell phone and called Deborah. He walked down the sidewalk a few feet and returned several minutes later. "Will wonders never cease. Looks like she's gonna let me have Indio Christmas morning, so that means she gets him tomorrow. I like your folks. So tell your mom thanks, it'd be fun."

The set was really hectic when they arrived that morning in anticipation of shutting down early. Calista and Robert only had one scene for the last episode they'd be filming together before the Christmas break. However, after Thanksgiving there were still four earlier episode scenes due to air in March that they had to reshoot.

For once, everything went smoothly and the scenes were completed in a small number of takes. By mid-morning, Calista was finished for the day, but Robert and Peter McNichol still had two scenes left.

The set was closing around 2:30 and because Calista had to stick around until then she went to her trailer for a nap. She woke about 1:00 and wandered out in search of food and passed Robert's dressing room. Hearing the piano, she smiled remembering that the first thing the production crew had done when Robert returned to the set was move the piano back into his dressing room. She loved his voice. Ah, hell, she admitted to herself, there wasn't much about him that she didn't love - except the obvious.

Opening the door a crack, she saw him at the piano. His face was full of emotion and she stood watching him for several seconds, not wanting to intrude, but something about him was heartbreaking.

If I needed you so desperately
To come to me and talk to me
To take my heart and hand into your comfort zone
Where I'm not alone or lonely
Well would you take the time to be my friend
Cause in the end that's all there is
There's love the eternal bond between us
Would you be there

When the lights are down low and I'm feeling insecure
With this bed so big and only cold memories to hold
It's your voice I need to hear to help me overcome this fear
I need your hand to help my heart from sinking into this
quicksand of love

Robert looked up and saw her. His expression didn't change, but he nodded for her to come in and motioned with his eyes for her to close the door behind her. The song he was singing was one she'd never heard and it was obvious that he was living every word:

If I told you that I couldn't bear to be alone
Would you be there
And if I said I need your heart to be my home
Would you let me stay there

He beckoned her with his head to come and sit beside him. She crossed over and sat silently by his side. He looked up briefly and she could see the hint of tears in his eyes. His face remained solemn as he continued:

Would you be there for me
Can't you see
I need you and you need me tonight
Close your eyes
Realize
I've got so much love to give to you

Calista wanted to reach inside him and rip all the hurt from his body. "That's some song."

"Yeah. It's the one I've chosen for the afternoon bar scene, you know, when Ally finds Larry at the piano and they finally confront what they're feeling?"

"Did Vonda find it for you?"

"Nope, it's one that's been running through my mind for a long time." He turned to her, "You know, all I kept hoping while we were apart was that we'd gotten far enough so that you'd be there ... waiting for me. It's what kept me going - maybe it was the only thing that did."

"Are up forgetting about the blon....?"

He put his finger on her lips to silence her. "I haven't forgotten anything. We did, didn't we," he questioned pleadingly. "Get deep enough - go far enough? I mean, I'm not just .. living on borrowed dreams am I?"

Calista looked up into his tear filled eyes. She felt his need and kissed him softly before her reply. "I think you know the answer to that, Downey." She wished she could take all his pain away, but knew that she could only be there for him during his 'weak days.' And, as long as he continued to show an honest effort to fight his demons, that's what she intended to do, help him get through the bad days.

He bowed his head and, after a long pause, nervously asked, "Did you think anymore about Barbados?"

"Yep," she smiled, "I've decided that I could really use a vacation."

He lifted his face upward and looked as though the weight of the world had just been lifted from his shoulders. "Thank God," he said, breathing a deep sigh of relief.

"My only concern is, what's everyone gonna say when we both come back with incredible suntans?"

Robert gave her his best Clark Gable impersonation, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

She laughed. And, imitating Scarlett O'Hara, she countered, "I won't think about it today. I'll worry about it tamarrah. After all, tamarrah is anothah day!"

They both giggled. Robert looked at her adoringly, "God, I've missed you. Us. I don't know which I've missed more. But, then, maybe they're one and the same."

She nodded, knowing how much she'd missed just being close to him each day, being able to look up and see his face. She laid her head on his shoulder, not wanting the moment to end.

A knock on the door jarred them from their reverie. "Mr. Downey, there's a special delivery for you," a voice said.

"Oh, great," he growled. "What now?"

Robert signed for the envelope and, after reading the contents, sat down looking defeated. He looked at Calista and smiled sadly. "Well, wouldn't ya just know. Whatta ya think the chances are that Deborah has hidden cameras everywhere, watching me. I get too happy and somehow it only takes her a millisecond to find out!"

"What is it Robert."

He threw the papers across the room. "SHIT! Shit, SHIT!!!"

Calista waited for him to calm down.

"It's the divorce papers granting her full custody. Along with the Guardian ad Litem's report recommending that I have only supervised visitation with Indio!" He put his head in his hands.

She walked over and picked up the papers and came back and put her arms around him. He buried his face against her neck while Calista read the report of the Guardian ad Litem over his shoulder. They sat like that for what seemed ages.

"Robert?" Calista finally said, "Robert, listen to me. The GAL's report says that custody will be reviewable after you've completed rehab. You didn't read down to the conclusion."

"What does that mean?" his voice was muffled against her skin.

"In so many words, he says you're a wonderful father, thoroughly devoted to your son. That Indio adores you and the two of you have an incredible relationship." She smiled at him, "The purpose of supervised visitation isn't to create an alienation, which he says would be extremely detrimental to Indio, but to give you a chance to put the drugs behind you. That's the only obstacle, Robert! The drugs! And, you're gonna get through that. Here's the important part, the Guardian ad Litem concludes that if you successfully complete your rehab and continue to have clean UA's for an additional 90 days, he sees no reason not to recommend joint custody because he believes it would be in Indio's best interest. JOINT CUSTODY, Robert."

He looked up, hopeful. "Joint custody? That's possible?"

She nodded.

"Supervised visits won't be that hard - if he's here in L.A. But, if Deb moves to New York, what the hell am I gonna do till I finish rehab? Fly escorted to New York once a week just so I can have a three or four hour supervised visitation?"

She took his face in her hands, "Yes. That's exactly what you do - because you have to. And, if you want, I'll go with you."

"You'd do that?" he asked incredulously.

"Absolutely." She put her arms around him and he embraced her tightly. "How the hell was I ever lucky enough to find you," he whispered in her ear.

"I think the question is, how were we lucky enough to find each other," she replied.